Did that really just happen?
I cannot believe I got to do what I did today. It was everything I ever dreamed of in the world of LGBT acitivism. I actually got to march, chanting and picketing, through the streets of downtown Chicago. Michigan Ave., LaSalle, Clark St., all shut down to make way for over 1,000 LGBT people and their allies to claim their rights and demand equality. What a beautiful thing to know that I was a part of.
I got there about an hour early to help set up and assemble flags, signs, etc. Snow was already coming down like crazy, so we were stick signs and flagpoles into snowbanks to keep them up and organized. Over the hour I talked to a whole lot of new people (a big deal for me) as the crowd grew and grew. One woman I met, Sharry, ended up being one of the big leaders of the whole protest. She's a big sexuality studies/socialist intellectual: writing books, going on speaking tours, the whole nine yards. She had some really interesting and thought-provoking points to make about what's happening in Gaza, grassroots activism, and other big political issues that I managed to pick her brain about. Lots of great, smart, thoughtful people with a lot of passion for what they do.
The rally started with some great speakers. I didn't realize how big the crowd had gotten untili I started taking pictures, and suddenly I saw that we really had taken over the Plaza. Speakers from GLN, Join the Impact, Equality IL, and even some labor union and immigration rights folks. Daniela, the woman from the immigration org., was amazing. A really spirited, queer Latina who represented so many things to so many people that were there. I saw lots of signs in Spanish, reminding me that it's all really one struggle for justice and equality, not just a bunch of fragmented causes. That's important to remember, and it makes me want to get involved with lots of other causes, not just what benefits me directly.
Then, the marching started. This is the part that really overwhelmed me. For over an hour, in blizzard-like conditions, we marched the hell out of downtown Chicago. Cops were everywhere, people were honking and cheering in support as we swarmed the streets. At one point I looked back at the crowd behind that was turning a corner, and all I could see were rainbow flags and hundreds of people in winter garb. One of the police estimated that we could have had up to 2,000 people on that march. We made a roar, a giant boom of voices chanting, "What do we want? Equal rights! When do we want 'em? NOW!" and "Gay, straight, black, white! One struggle, one fight!" Amazing. Of course, by the end of the hour were getting a little silly with the chanting: "Obama! Obama! Let mama marry mama!" But it was all so spirited and massive. I can't believe things like that are possible. I can't wait for the Freedom to Marry Day action. Hell, I can't wait for the meeting about it in a couple of weeks!
I feel so lucky to have been there. Check out my photos below, and the rockin' video. Favorite chant? "Gays and lesbians are under attack! What do we do? STAND UP, FIGHT BACK!"
DOMA Protest, 11009
I got there about an hour early to help set up and assemble flags, signs, etc. Snow was already coming down like crazy, so we were stick signs and flagpoles into snowbanks to keep them up and organized. Over the hour I talked to a whole lot of new people (a big deal for me) as the crowd grew and grew. One woman I met, Sharry, ended up being one of the big leaders of the whole protest. She's a big sexuality studies/socialist intellectual: writing books, going on speaking tours, the whole nine yards. She had some really interesting and thought-provoking points to make about what's happening in Gaza, grassroots activism, and other big political issues that I managed to pick her brain about. Lots of great, smart, thoughtful people with a lot of passion for what they do.
The rally started with some great speakers. I didn't realize how big the crowd had gotten untili I started taking pictures, and suddenly I saw that we really had taken over the Plaza. Speakers from GLN, Join the Impact, Equality IL, and even some labor union and immigration rights folks. Daniela, the woman from the immigration org., was amazing. A really spirited, queer Latina who represented so many things to so many people that were there. I saw lots of signs in Spanish, reminding me that it's all really one struggle for justice and equality, not just a bunch of fragmented causes. That's important to remember, and it makes me want to get involved with lots of other causes, not just what benefits me directly.
Then, the marching started. This is the part that really overwhelmed me. For over an hour, in blizzard-like conditions, we marched the hell out of downtown Chicago. Cops were everywhere, people were honking and cheering in support as we swarmed the streets. At one point I looked back at the crowd behind that was turning a corner, and all I could see were rainbow flags and hundreds of people in winter garb. One of the police estimated that we could have had up to 2,000 people on that march. We made a roar, a giant boom of voices chanting, "What do we want? Equal rights! When do we want 'em? NOW!" and "Gay, straight, black, white! One struggle, one fight!" Amazing. Of course, by the end of the hour were getting a little silly with the chanting: "Obama! Obama! Let mama marry mama!" But it was all so spirited and massive. I can't believe things like that are possible. I can't wait for the Freedom to Marry Day action. Hell, I can't wait for the meeting about it in a couple of weeks!
I feel so lucky to have been there. Check out my photos below, and the rockin' video. Favorite chant? "Gays and lesbians are under attack! What do we do? STAND UP, FIGHT BACK!"
DOMA Protest, 11009
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